APT endorses just four in City Council race

Friday

PORTSMOUTH — The city’s taxpayers association endorsed four candidates in the Nov. 8 election for City Council.

PORTSMOUTH — The city’s taxpayers association endorsed four candidates in the Nov. 8 election for City Council.

Signs are up around the city indicating the Association of Portsmouth Taxpayers selected incumbents Tony Coviello, Esther Kennedy, Eric Spear and challenger Jack Thorsen as its choices in the election.

APT president Mark Brighton said selections were made after the taxpayers group interviewed all of the candidates except Glenn Gardner. Brighton said Gardner had been out of the country around the time the interviews took place.

The interview process allowed for what Brighton called a healthy interaction among the participants. Brighton said it was nice to hear candidates voice their opinions, even if they were not necessarily in line with APT views. In the end, he said only four of the 10 candidates were endorsed.

“We went with the people who are the closest to the philosophy of the APT,” said Brighton, who explained that philosophy mostly entails a commitment to keeping taxes as low as possible.

In addition to endorsing candidates vying for nine City Council seats, the APT also made one endorsement in the School Board race, which features five candidates running for four seats. Brighton said the APT endorsed newcomer Mary Olea. “She has the interest of the taxpayer and the children in equal proportion,” he said.

The APT did not make an endorsement in the two-way race for Police Commission or the uncontested race for Fire Commission.

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